Commems Collection Classic: 1951-54 George W Carver - Booker T Washington - The Final Mintage

The final run of George Washington Carver - Booker T. Washington ("GWC - BTW") half dollars was struck on August 6, 1954 at the San Francisco Branch Mint. It was reported that 10,000 of the commemorative half dollars were struck - it was a noted as a two-hour job.

Note: 100,000 of the coins were struck at San Francisco on August 5, 1954 - the prior day.

For context, the San Francisco facility struck a total of 110,000 GWC - BTW half dollars in August 1954 and 122,000 (plus Assay coins) for all of 1954. Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco each struck 12,000 coins (plus Assay coins) between January and February. Over 80,000 unsold San Francisco pieces were returned to the Mint to be melted, leaving an approximate net mintage of 41,800 1954-S coins.

It was also reported that ~1,000 coins from the final batch were wrapped in cellophane and sent to the Booker T. Washington Foundation for eventual distribution to VIPs. (I wonder if any of these coins can be verified in today's marketplace?)

The August San Francisco strikes not only closed out the GWC - BTW coin program, but also brought to a close the classic-era US commemorative coin series. Commemorative coin collectors would have to wait more than two decades for the next commemorative coins to be struck - the 1975-76 US Bicentennial coinage. (Of course, many commemorative medals were struck by the US Mint after the commemorative coin series ended.)

1951-S George Washington Carver - Booker T. Washington Half Dollae



For more of my stories about commemorative coins and medals, including other GWC - BTW coin stories, see: Commems Collection.